Looks like ROH isn't wasting time getting ready for Japan-lots of gaijin will participate in NOAH's Summer Navigation '07 tour (6/30-7/15) ahead of the July Japan shows: Danielson, McGuinness, The Briscoes, Rocky Romero, and Davey Richards will be on all shows. This is Richards' first appearance in Japan.

Speaking off Richards, read this up on ROHwrestling.com, I was waiting for something like this to happen.

quote ROHwrestling.com

Davey Richards Stuck In The MiddleThursday, June 07, 2007

Davey Richards never imagined he would be in this position. Last year NOAH superstar KENTA selected Richards as his mentor. Earlier this year Rocky Romero joined Richards in the No Remorse Corps. It never crossed Richards' mind that one day he would be in the middle of the two.

June 22nd in Dayton will see KENTA take on Rocky Romero. On the surface this is a contest between two highly skilled fighters that each sport potent kicks and strikes. Look deeper into things and you'll find that Richards is right in the middle of these grapplers.

It is already clear that the No Remorse Corps have each other's backs. They act as a team. They are one unit. Richards has had some hard-fought contests with KENTA as his partner. He has been in KENTA's corner for some of KENTA's biggest matches. Richards has learned lesson after lesson from KENTA.

There will be no neutral ground in Dayton. Both KENTA and Romero strive for the victory. KENTA wants to get back in the ROH World Title picture. Romero wants to defeat one of NOAH's top stars after his show stealing bout at the "Respect Is Earned" PPV taping against Naomichi Marufuji. They each expect full support from those closest to them.

June 22nd will be a tough night physically for both KENTA and Romero. It will be an even more difficult night mentally for Richards. He has to turn his back on someone important in his wrestling career. What corner will he be in when ROH returns to Dayton?

Really, I was thinking this was a pretty good set-up. I am wondering which side he picks now. I'm thinking No Remorse Corps and they can start a beat down on KENTA. Then, to get a good reaction, have Marufuji arrive to help KENTA or something. Meh, I don't know, I just want to see KENTA & Marufugi vs. No Remorse Corps (Richards & Strong or Romero)

-------------------"I am alone. I look at the heavens and think them empty. And if not empty, I find the idea of worshiping whatever dwells there obscene. It doesn't change what is right. If there is nothing in this world but what we make, brothers...let us make good."

Yesterday's (put up rather late, I didn't read it until today) Newswire Update:The ROH roster is in a state of transition now. The question being asked among fans and inside the ROH office is who will step up as the new stars and the new main eventers? Who will elevate their position on the card? The top spots are up for grabs. ROH officials are currently working out the details for a tournament to determine who will race to the top. More details coming next week.

Added to 6/22 in Dayton is a gauntlet series-a series of consecutive singles matches. The winner will face the next participant until there is only one man standing. Order of entry is totally random and drawn on the night of the show. Signed to participate are Delirious, Chris Hero with Larry Sweeney, Adam Pearce, Pelle Primeau and Jimmy Rave.

Also added to Dayton is BJ Whitmer vs. Brent Albright in a No DQ match.

A huge sale should be starting today for Father's Day weekend. New releases will include All-Star Extravaganza 3 (3/30).

Next week will have lots of news about the PPV taping on 6/23 in Chicago.

Gauntlet Series (series of consecutive singles matches with the winner taking on the next randomly drawn participant until only one man is left)-Competitors are in alphabetical order: Delirious, Chris Hero with Larry Sweeney & Tank Toland, Adam Pearce with Shane Hagadorn, Pelle Primeau and Jimmy Rave

Kevin Steen & El Generico vs. Irish Airborne

More TBA with Lacey & Jimmy Jacobs among others.

Edit: The big sale this weekend, which is now on, is 25% off everything except, as usual, gift certificates, until 9 PM Monday. The promo code is "dad".

2nd edit: According to NOAH's english website, The Briscoes, Davey Richards, and Bryan Danielson will be participating in the "Nippon Television Cup" during NOAH's Summer Navigation '07 Tour (6/30-7/15). Richards and Danielson will be a team in this 5 team Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Tournament, the other teams being KENTA & Taiji Ishimori, Marufuji & Kouta Iifushi, and current GHC Jr. Tag Team Champions Kotaro Suzuki & Ricky Marvin. Each team will face the other team once for a total of 4 matches, scoring 2 points for a win, 1 point for a time limit draw (all matches are 30 minutes, 1 fall), 0 points for loss and other draws. The winners get the NTV Trophy and 1 million yen (around $8500). The tournament starts with the 7/1 event and ends 7/15 at Nippon Budokan. For the record, Briscoes vs. Danielson & Richards (all-ROH matchup) is scheduled for the 7/12 show in Morioka.

Wow, that sounds like a really awesome concept, I can't wait to see how it turns out.

Today's Newswire Update:Claudio Castagnoli vs. YAMATO from Supercard Of Honor 2 has been added to ROHvideos.com.

Added to Saturday in Chicago for the PPV is Naomichi Marufuji vs. BJ Whitmer.

Clarification from Gabe on PPV tapings and subsequent DVD releases:

quote

To answer a few questions here using the 5/12 PPV taping DVD as an example:

1) The PPV and show DVDs will be the same, there will not be two seperate releases for a PPV taping or "director's cut" re-releases of shows. For instance, 5/12 will feature the PPV and then the other matches on the live 5/12 show will be bonus matches. There will also be exclusive promos as a bonus that will not appear on the PPV, but be on the DVD.

2) The DVDs of the PPV shows will be released one month after the final first run showing on every PPV system. For instance, the final first run showing of "Respect Is Earned" is 7/20 on iNDEMAND. This means the DVD will be released on 8/20.

3) There will be no delay in the normal release schedule of non-PPV taping show DVDs. We fell a little behind due to a lot of first time things we encountered in producing the first PPV, but this will not be a problem in the future and we will be back to getting the releases out faster ASAP. In fact, 6/8 production is almost complete.

Yesterday's Very Late Newswire Update (wasn't put up until late at night):SHIMMER matches have been added to this weekend's events. Added to Friday is Lacey vs. Serena Deeb. Added to Saturday (non-PPV) is Lacey & Rain vs. Daizee Haze & MsChif.

ROH has been putting together a 16-man tournament called "The Race To The Top Tournament", designed to determine who can step up and claim the top spots in ROH. "We are going to see what everyone brings to the table," ROH President Cary Silkin said. "Right now all the top spots are for the taking and we are going to see who wants it the most. Let's throw them out there and see who becomes a star. This is going to be a special tournament for the wrestlers and the fans." It will take place over 2 shows, the first of which will be 7/28 in Edison. Also announced are the first 5 participants: Kevin Steen, El Generico, Mike Quackenbush, Davey Richards, and Chris Hero. More news on this is expected next week.

There is a 20% off everything sale going on until tonight. New releases include "Fighting Spirit" (4/14-Morishima vs. McGuinness for the ROH World Title).

ROH has added a new section to the main page of their website with current PPV airing information. The first airing of "Respect Is Earned" is less than 2 weeks away.

Heeeeeroooooo! Heeeeeeroooooo! I'd root for Delirious if he's entered (likely will be), but I wouldn't mind Hero being bumped back up to the main event so we get a solid heel at the top of the card, not the heels by default like Morishima.

Edit - crackers needs to update that custom title of his. Also, not sure why mine won't end in a "?" when it fit when editing, but not showing in the forum.

Hero I am thinking will be Chris Hero will be taking a main event spot. I want Davey Richards to since I'm a fan of his. Hope Delirious participates, but I'm not cheering for him to win (sorry, I like him, but not main eventer for me.)

-------------------"I am alone. I look at the heavens and think them empty. And if not empty, I find the idea of worshiping whatever dwells there obscene. It doesn't change what is right. If there is nothing in this world but what we make, brothers...let us make good."

No need to apologize, I know Delirious will be a midcarder for life in RoH, but that's cool since Gabe has shown faith in him and the fans have warmed up to him, so the occasional title shot like other midcarders get would be cool with me. However if Danielson does regain the belt at some point, Delirious ought to be lined up for a shot for making Danielson tap out in late 2006 (and since Gabe loves continuity, I don't doubt that we'd see this happen, which just adds to the fact why RoH is the best fed out there in terms of writing and booking, both short term and long term).

Morishima doesn't sound like a bad guy or an evil fellow, but there are so many faces after that title that he's become a heel by default. Hero on the other hand is a full-blown heel that does a great job with getting people to hate his guts. Not many other RoH wrestlers can turn a crowd against them like he can, and him building up his new stable and spreading it across feds will help him solidify his heel role in RoH, whether he has half the numbers of his CHIKARA stable or not. We've also got the NRC and Roderick Strong in particular as a heel, but as long as he holds that FIP belt (and he's a face down here from what I've heard), I'm not sure they'll make him much more than a stable leader until 2008, maybe earning another title shot by year's end but not the title itself.